The present invention discloses a method including providing a substrate; forming a dielectric material over the substrate; forming an opening in the dielectric material; treating a surface of the dielectric material; forming a conductor in the opening; and planarizing the conductor.The present invention further discloses a structure including a substrate; a dielectric material located over the substrate, the dielectric material having a low dielectric constant; an opening located in the dielectric material; a treated layer located over a sidewall of the opening; and a conductor located in the opening and over the treated layer.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.
1. A method comprising: providing a substrate; forming a dielectric material over said substrate; forming an opening in said dielectric material; treating a surface of said dielectric material to achieve good mechanical strength; forming a conductor in said opening; and planarizing said conductor.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein said treating of said surface of said dielectric material comprises a directional process.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein said treating of said surface of said dielectric material comprises sputtering.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein said treating of said surface of said dielectric material comprises reactive plasma.
5. The method of claim 1 wherein said dielectric material comprises Carbon-doped Oxide (CDO).
6. The method of claim 1 wherein said treating of said surface of said dielectric material forms a treated layer with different properties from said dielectric material.
7. The method of claim 6 wherein said planarizing of said conductor removes said treated layer over a field region of said dielectric material.
8. The method of claim 1 wherein said treating of said surface of said dielectric layer forms a treated layer with a thickness of about 30-600 Angstroms.
9. A method comprising: providing a substrate; forming an interlayer dielectric (ILD) over said substrate, said ILD having a low dielectric constant; forming a via and an overlying trench in said ILD; treating said ILD to form a treated layer with good mechanical strength; forming a conductor over said treated layer; and removing said conductor and said treated layer outside said via and said overlying trench.
10. The method of claim 9 wherein said treating of said ILD comprises sputtering.
11. The method of claim 9 wherein said treating of said ILD comprises reactive plasma.
Cooperative Patent Classification codes for this invention. Click any code to explore related patents in that topic.
December 17, 2003
August 16, 2005
Browse 5M+ US patents with plain-English claim translations and AI-generated analysis.